| Al 'Imran: (130 - 132) O you who believe...

Know that some people have said that since the Almighty explained His great favors to the believers regarding guidance toward what is best for them in matters of religion and Jihad, He followed that up with what falls under command, prohibition, encouragement, and warning, saying: {O you who have believed, do not consume usury...}

Under this interpretation, this verse is the beginning of a new discourse, unconnected to what preceded it. Al-Qaffal (may Allah have mercy on him) suggested that it might be connected to what came before in that the polytheists spent money collected through usury on those armies. Thus, this might tempt the Muslims to engage in usury so they can gather wealth to spend on armies and thus be able to take revenge on them. Consequently, Allah forbade them from that.

Regarding the phrase {doubled and multiplied}, there are two issues:

Then the Almighty said: {And fear Allah, that you may succeed.}

Know that fearing Allah in this prohibition is obligatory, and success depends upon it. If one consumes usury and does not fear Allah, success is removed. This explicitly confirms that usury is a major sin, not a minor one. The explanation of {that you may} (la'allakum) has already been covered in Surah Al-Baqarah in the verse: {Worship your Lord who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.} The complete discussion on usury is also found in Surah Al-Baqarah.

Then He said: {And fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers.} There are questions concerning this:

The First Question: The Fire prepared for the disbelievers is commensurate with their disbelief, which is more than what a sinful Muslim deserves. How then is it said: {And fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers}?

The Answer: The meaning of the verse is: Fear that you might deny the prohibition of usury, thus becoming disbelievers.

The Second Question: The apparent meaning of {prepared for the disbelievers} implies that it was prepared only for the disbelievers. This suggests that none of the believers will enter the Fire, which contradicts other verses.

The Answer has several approaches:

1. It is not unlikely that there are levels (darajāt) in the Fire, some prepared for the disbelievers and some for the sinners. The phrase {the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers} refers to those specific levels prepared for the disbelievers, which does not preclude the existence of other levels in the Fire prepared for others.
2. The fact that the Fire is prepared for the disbelievers does not prevent believers from entering it. Since the majority of the inhabitants of the Fire are disbelievers, it is not unlikely, due to this predominance, to say it is prepared for them. This is like a man saying, "I prepared this animal for meeting the polytheists," even if he rides it at that moment for another purpose; he is still truthful in his statement. The same applies here.
3. The Third Approach: The Qur'an is like a single book. This verse indicates that the Fire is prepared for the disbelievers, while other verses indicate it is prepared for those who steal, kill, commit adultery, or slander. An example is His saying: {When they are cast into it, they hear from it a [frightful] sound as it boils, While it nearly bursts with rage. Every time a group is cast therein, its keepers ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?"} (Al-Mulk: 8). This is not said to all disbelievers. Also, He said: {And they will be hurled into it, they and the deviators, And the armies of Iblees, all of them.} (Ash-Shu'ara: 94-95) until His saying: {When you were made equal to the Lord of the worlds} (Ash-Shu'ara: 98). This description does not apply to all of them. However, since these conditions are mentioned in other Surahs, they are considered mentioned here as well, and likewise for what we mentioned here. And Allah knows best.
4. The Fourth Approach: The statement {prepared for the disbelievers} affirms that it is prepared for them but does not imply exclusivity (ḥaṣr). Just as His saying about Paradise: {prepared for the righteous} (Al 'Imran: 133) does not imply that no one else enters it, such as young children, the mentally incapacitated, or the Houris.
5. The Fifth Approach: The purpose of describing the Fire as prepared for the disbelievers is to magnify the warning. When the believers, who are addressed to avoid sins, learn that if they abandon piety they will be admitted to the Fire prepared for the disbelievers—and they already understand the severity of the punishment for the disbelievers—their deterrence from sin will be more complete. This is like a father frightening his son by saying, "If you disobey me, I will put you in the den of lions." This does not imply that no one else enters that den. The same applies here.

The Third Question: Does the verse indicate that the Fire is created now, or not?

The Answer: Yes, because the phrase {has been prepared} (u'iddat) is a report about the past, so that thing must have come into existence.

Then the Almighty said: {And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may receive mercy.} After mentioning the threat, He mentioned the promise, following the consistent pattern in the Qur'an. Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar said this verse is a reprimand to those who disobeyed the Messenger (peace be upon him) when he commanded them on the day of Uhud. The Mu'tazilah say this verse indicates that attaining mercy is contingent upon obeying Allah and obeying the Messenger (peace be upon him). This is general, so the apparent meaning suggests that whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger in any matter is not worthy of mercy, which supports the view of the proponents of the threat (ahl al-wa'īd).